Crushing Milestones

Son #1 has met & surpassed his goals I had for him this summer! He is not wearing pull-ups to bed anymore. And he is now (I can happily say!) sleeping in his OWN BED! (pause for cheers & applause) Surprisingly it didn't take much. Just the usual kid bribes with favorite toys. And while I knew he could probably do those things, it was the consistency of sticking with them I hoped he'd conquer-and he did! So now, hubbo has come back to reclaim his side of the bed. Anywho, that is crossed off the list. Now if I can just get son #1 not to get up at the crack of dawn when he hears daddy shaving or getting the shower.

The other milestone for son#1 is church. When he was little, his still very literal mind called it "sing-a-song house". Every building was a house. Wal-Mart was even "Wal-Mart house". So VBS is at our church this week & I thought it was great way to introduce him to the concept of going regularly. There were many reasons we've never placed membership & a lot of them lie with the children's issues & our inconsistency of going. It's rather hard to commit to being a member somewhere when you're not there 95% of the time.

Since son #1 is letting us read him Bible stories & really getting into them, I thought this would be an excellent way to introduce him to class. And the baby is at a wonderful stage for getting into the habit of going also. So off we head to Vaction Bible School Sunday night. The baby was perfect & charmed the nursery. Son#1 was hesitant but did well. Even let me leave him in class. He loved the puppets & was really intrigued by all the clappy songs. He's still not sure about all the yelling & excitement-little much for him. But at the end they pop a HUGE balloon & he melted down before they ever got to that. So we left early last night before that part came along. It was helpful God provided people I knew in their classes & whom I felt comfortable with leaving them. I didn't have a chance to explain some of son#1's issues & things so that was concerning a first. I wasn't too thrilled with their theme of Saul/Paul. Seemed geared more towards bigger kids (which I guess son#1 is but it's all new to him) and there didn't seem to be a huge pull towards more than Dramatime. I was hoping for more the style of when I was little. Little easy songs, a memory verse, make a take home thing with something to do with the lesson. The lessons being easy like sharing, love God, we are Jesus little lambs etc. But we're on the third night tonight & all in all I think he did well & hopefully he'll be on his way to Sunday school soon.

Son#2 has had more good days than bad & enjoyed summer school & riding the bus with his brother. And the trampoline (one of his birthday gifts) was supposed to help him exercise some of his weight gain (from meds) off. However, he's still tentative & shy about being in there on it. I was shocked at that the most. But we're not pushing. Once he figures out he's safe, he'll be out there ALL the time. The boys love having the sprinkler pointed toward the trampoline & it cools off the black tarp. He is outside more & developing a tan. When son#2 wants to go outside he brings me the sunblock as a cue.


We've wondered if he needs his meds tweaked or the dosage & after calling to get an appointment, we found out the soonest is October! SO-we went with an appointment with the peds doctor. We see her tomorrow & hopefully son#2 will be able to get something figured out before school starts next Thursday. Son#2 had a horrible day Saturday. He melted down completely, not just his usual afternoon huff & puff. He was biting himself like he's not done in a LONG time. Son#2 looks like he fought a bull with his arms & I cant' tell you who won. He pinched little tiny pinches all over his face & eyes Saturday. We tried everything to calm him down or make him stop. Directing his hands away made the OCD in him want to do it more. There's not much worse as a parent than sitting & watching your child hurt themselves, mark themselves up, on purpose with nothing you can do to stop it or control it. Son#2 scratched my chest & neck up & down the whole day. He's mostly frustrated when he does that. How do you tell your parents you have a headache, (a migraine) when you can't talk? What flashcard is there for that? Constipated? How do you communicate that you ate too many peanuts? Good thing hubbo & I like mysteries, we have investigating all the time with son#2 & his non-verbal issues.

On a happier note, he has been better & smiley even this week so far. And last night I took ALL THREE KIDS WITH ME TO VBS! Brave aren't I?? Son#2 did well & seemed to enjoy getting out & about. After the songs & puppets I took him to do errands with me. It's amazing how much energy it takes to just jet to the store & run in for bread & mac/cheese with him in tow. At 4ft 2 & 86 lbs, he doesn't really fit in a cart anymore. I can't lift him anyway. So his hand in mine, I pull him through the store & pay at the self checkout. He enjoyed the echo in the library & touching all the fake flowers & yarn at Hobby Lobby. Then I ran him home & went back for the other two. He's met some milestones this summer too. Brushing his teeth, much better in public & going outside without eating the trees or birdfood. Hopefully tomorrow at his doctor appointment, we can find something else to try for son#2. And then they go to the dentist....
Onward & upward!

I'm sure you've seen the amounts of rain we've been getting around here on the news. Something like 26 days of rain out of 30! No lie. You will not here hubbo & I complain because we happen to love rain. And from living here in Oklahoma for 10 years, we've also figured out that high 80's and rain is MUCH MUCH better than 100 degree temps with 90% humidity. We'll take the rain any day. However, the ground has been so soggy our neighbors who have a lawn service, haven't got to mow our yard in 3 weeks! The grass was knee high with all the rain and the chiggers were out of this world. The timing couldn't have been worse because the kids were in between summer school sessions during the solid week of rain. They had to stay in & were practically bored to tears.

The morning of the 4th, we awoke to the neighbors mowing. We'd had one full day of sun & no rain. Horray! Another reason to give thanks. The wheels of their industrial mower still made some marks in the backyard but I really don't care. At least we can see the ground (I have to be able to watch for snakes you know) and the sun can dry it out more quickly. The front looks great and after a 5 minute game of "toss the worm back into the grass", hubbo & I retreated back inside to enjoy the clipped view. We had a very nice 4th of July with my mother visiting. She and I made a trip out to a couple of stores and returned to hubbo having the coals on the grill just right & ready to go. While he grilled the patties, we shucked corn, got brownies in the oven & filled the deviled eggs. Fun was had by all at that feast. We even had some ice cream with those brownies. My middle son that loves food was totally enjoying himself. We joke his middle name shouldn't have been Isaac, it should have been Emril as much time as he spends in the kitchen with me. And without. He loves to explore the cabinets for Crisco, powdered coffee creamer, hidden doughnuts etc.

So to get out & away from the restless natives I went to buy some flowers to plant. I haven't really got to plant anything in quite a few years so this was finally going to be the time. Just do it! Since our flower bed is flat & empty with mulch, anything is an improvement. The height isn't as varied as I'd like throughout, but it's better than nothing. And this fall we can plant some roses & bushes. The only I had for awhile was some strawberries we have coming in. Small & they need sugar but what could be bad about strawberries? Then I got some ferns, some hibiscus & some trailing ivys.

I also was able to find an "Allen plant". Most people call them begonias but since I was a little girl my mother had these all around inside & out. I had a thing when I was small for naming things after my favorite people. My first dog's name was Pickles Ruth. I loved pickles & Ruth was my favorite aunt. She always sent me "sexy" nighties for my birthday. They would be long, satiny with robes to match. For a little girl, nothing was more feminine.

So for my first plant I was allowed to keep in my room, it made perfect sense that I name it after my favorite person-my dad. Now they mean even more when I see them. Allen plants aren't as special to everyone else as they are to me.

Well, I'm done planting for awhile & I think the ground is drying up. I may have to send a dove, er...a kid out to see if he brings back a branch.